Phoebe Legere Stars in North American Premiere of “Everyone Dies Trying to Make a Masterpiece” at the 4th Annual Phoenicia Festival of the Arts

 The multidisciplinary artist performs live, headlines a wearable-sculpture parade, and joins a panel on creativity and the sacred at the festival's first international edition, August 21–23

PHOENICIA, N.Y. — The 4th Annual Phoenicia Festival of the Arts will go international this August, and multidisciplinary artist Phoebe Legere will be at the center of the celebration — on screen, on stage, and in the street.

Founder and curator Christina Varga has assembled a weekend of film, visual art, performance, and music across the Catskills village of Phoenicia, August 21–23. Legere's nonprofit, the Foundation for New American Art, a 501(c)(3), is a major supporter of this year's festival.

A Horror-Fantasy Filmed at Yaddo

Last year, Legere directed The Gender Symphony, which headlined the Phoenicia Film Festival. This year she stars in Everyone Dies Trying to Make a Masterpiece, a horror-fantasy from Brazilian artist and director Gustavo Von Ha, filmed at Yaddo, the storied artists' colony in Saratoga Springs where the two met.

Seven of Legere's songs appear on the film's soundtrack. On screen, she plays death metal guitar inside Yaddo Castle, surrounded by priceless works of art, standing on the very throne where Truman Capote was photographed for his first book cover.

The film has its North American premiere Saturday, August 22, at the historic Phoenicia Playhouse. Legere opens the screening with a live set on guitar, accordion, and piano, performing songs featured in the film.

A Weekend of Art, Parade, and Panel

The festival opens Friday with a major art installation at 52 Main Street, the former hardware store beside the tubing outfitter. On Saturday morning, Legere leads the Shandaken Eagle Parade wearing her giant wearable sculptures of endangered Hudson River animals, followed that evening by her performance and the film's premiere at the Phoenicia Playhouse.

On Sunday morning, Legere joins a Wise Women panel at 52 Main Street alongside legendary performance artist Linda Montano and renowned plant-medicine teacher Susun Weed, speaking on “Creation and the Supernatural.” The weekend also features short films, the Phoenicia Film Festival awards, live performances, and artists and filmmakers from near and far.

The festival opens with a gong ceremony, joined by local cultural leaders — including Christina Varga — singing Legere's song “Bee Spangled Banner,” the National Anthem of the Pollinators.

Event Details

What:  4th Annual Phoenicia Festival of the Arts

When:  August 21–23, 2026

Where:  Phoenicia Playhouse and 52 Main Street, Phoenicia, N.Y.

Premiere:  Everyone Dies Trying to Make a Masterpiece, Saturday, August 22, Phoenicia Playhouse, preceded by a live performance by Phoebe Legere

“This festival is a celebration of everything I believe art can do — bring people together, honor the wild world around us, and touch the supernatural. I'm so grateful to Christina Varga for building something this bold, and to be part of it in so many ways this year.”

— Phoebe Legere

About Phoebe Legere

Phoebe Legere is a multidisciplinary artist, composer, and performer whose work spans music, film, and visual art. She is the founder of the Foundation for New American Art, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting new work in the arts.

About the Phoenicia Festival of the Arts

Founded by Christina Varga, the Phoenicia Festival of the Arts brings film, visual art, performance, and music to the Catskills village of Phoenicia, N.Y. Its 2026 edition marks the festival's first international program.

Phoenicia Film Festival of the Arts Features Phoebe Legere in New Gustavo Von Ha Film

PHOEBE LEGERE HEADLINES PHOENICIA FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS STARRING IN NEW FILM BY GUSTAVO VON HA, "Everyone Dies Trying To Make A Masterpiece"

LISTEN NOW! 3 Songs From Highly Acclaimed Musical by Phoebe Legere: THE FISH WHO SAVED NEW YORK

 

CLICK THE

LINK: 

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=youtube+the+fish+who+saved+new+york&PC=APMC&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dyoutube%2bthe%2bfish%2bwho%2bsaved%2bnew%2byork%26form%3dAPMCS1%26PC%3dAPMC&mmscn=vwrc&mid=6E7F9F3A651A8DD763D76E7F9F3A651A8DD763D7&FORM=WRVORC&ntb=1&msockid=7fc276d28aa111f18c012a3029edbbc4

Phoebe Legere Headlines Panel At Gonzofest With Will Thompson, Grandson of Hunter S. Thompson

 

July 19th. 3 PM. I am standing with Will Thompson, Hunter Thompson's grandson. Kind eyes. A beautiful smile.

PHOEBE LEGERE: 

"I was at Howl Happening for #gonzofest- on a panel called Friends of Hunter S. Thompson. I tried to describe the paradox of Hunter - a devastatingly funny, terrifyingly serious man.

"I tried to describe the paradox of a man who pursued absolute freedom with the ferocity of a revolutionary and the tenderness of a poet.

"I tried to describe the paradox of a man who could make you laugh until dawn and break your heart before breakfast.

"I tried to describe the paradox of a writer whose laughter was inseparable from his fury, ...whose comedy cut through the Great American Spectacle to expose the machinery of power....whose satire stripped the paint from America's democratic illusions.

"Not the myth. Not the outlaw. Not the Gonzo icon.

The man who once treated me as an equal. Who showed me what fearless friendship and love feel like.

I also exhibited paintings I made while I was living at Owl Farm.

"Time is a strange thing. It takes what we love. Then, like a dark obsidian mirror - like the obsidian knives once used by Aztec priests to cut out the hearts of victims - the past walks back into the room."

Photo by @disiterate Ethan Shoshan @ulersththe_nupin38 @howlarts #lowereastside #phoebelegere #huntersthompson #gonzofest @gonzofestofficial

GONZOFEST: Phoebe Legere on Hunter S. Thompson: Big-Game Fish

PHOEBE LEGERE SAYS: "Kent over at Gonzofest wanted me to make a selfie to promote GONZOFEST. I suppose he thought I'd be wearing a #bikini, but instead I'm wearing my George Washington costume and a giant Fish puppet. Here I am on the gangplank of the beautiful Waterfront Museum in Red Hook Brooklyn where I am starring my new musical The Fish Who Saved New York! Hunter would love the giant sturgeon sculpture I'm wearing -- Join us - one show only - June 28th at 2. I'm about to paint the sturgeon today - rainbow colors of course. That's a few seconds of my my Lovers Falls -©words and music 2026 by Phoebe Legère - dropping July 4th, my birthday. " #hunterthompson #gonzofest #phoebelegere #waterfrontmuseum #Brooklyn #redhook

VIEW IT HERE:

 https://youtu.be/vohU2ZoFWMU?si=EfAYol6W-Uqje1eE

Phoebe Legere's Arts Education Nonprofit, Foundation for New American Art, Receives Official Mayoral Citation from the City of New York

 

The Foundation for New American Art (FNAA) is honored to announce that it has received an official Mayoral Citation from Zohran Kwame Mamdani in recognition of its commitment to providing free arts education opportunities for New York City's children and families.

The citation was presented during FNAA's World Cup of Drawing a Soccer Ball, a free interdisciplinary arts program held at the Waterfront Museum on June 28, 2026. The event brought together children, families, artists, and educators to celebrate creativity, mathematics, movement, and the universal language of soccer through hands-on artistic expression.

Praising After-School Workshops & Programs

In the official citation, Mayor Mamdani recognized the Foundation's dedication to expanding educational opportunities for young New Yorkers, particularly those living in low-income communities. The citation notes that FNAA's after-school programs and workshops help young people develop positive personal identities, build strong peer relationships, strengthen artistic skills, and cultivate a sense of responsibility toward their neighborhoods.

The Mayor further praised the Foundation as "a valuable ally" in New York City's mission to ensure that every child has access to outstanding educational opportunities, recognizing the organization's efforts to provide free arts education and help equip the next generation of talented and diverse New Yorkers with the tools they need to thrive.

Founded in 2014, the Foundation for New American Art is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to making high-quality arts education accessible to all. Through free programs in visual art, music, theater, dance, and interdisciplinary learning, the Foundation serves children and families throughout New York City, with a special emphasis on historically underserved communities.

"This citation is a meaningful affirmation of the work our teaching artists, volunteers, community partners, and supporters have made possible," said Phoebe Legere, Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for New American Art. "We believe every child deserves the opportunity to discover their creative voice, and we are grateful that the City of New York recognizes the importance of arts education in helping young people succeed."

The World Cup of Drawing a Soccer Ball reflects FNAA's belief that learning flourishes when creativity, science, mathematics, athletics, and culture come together. By encouraging children to explore geometry, motion, design, and artistic expression through the globally beloved sport of soccer, the program demonstrates how the arts can inspire confidence, curiosity, and lifelong learning.

The Foundation for New American Art extends its sincere appreciation to Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and the City of New York for this distinguished honor and remains committed to expanding free arts education opportunities for children across the five boroughs.

About the Foundation for New American Art

The Foundation for New American Art is a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, high-quality arts education to children and families. Through innovative multidisciplinary programs, community partnerships, and professional teaching artists, FNAA empowers young people to develop creativity, confidence, critical thinking, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts.

THE FISH THAT SAVED NEW YORK! WORLD PREMIERE OF PHOEBE LEGERE's NEW MUSICAL! MAYOR MAMDANI! WORLD CUP OF DRAWING A SOCCER BALL!

Thank you to Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani for issuing a Special Official Greeting to our nonprofit Foundation for New American Art for our free all day family festival in Red Hook Brooklyn! Thank you to the almost 100 children who attended the SOLD OUT WORLD PREMIERE of our new Art Work: The Fish Who Saved New York yesterday. We open in New York City in the Johnson Theater at Theater for the New City in March 8, 2027. SAVE THE DATE - My co-stars Quin (age 6) and Pinky Weitzman are on my right. I play George Washington Sturgeon wearing a giant rainbow sturgeon above my head. photo: Cosmic Kitty Here we are on a boat in New York Harbor. This was the best birthday present anyone could ever have. My birthday is July 4th but I am already celebrating. xoxox Note Susie Rakowski is wearing a Paint Brushes Not Guns T-Shirt! She starred as George Washington Sturgeon's best friend: Marquis de Seahorse. Thanks to all the kids who came to my early morning workshop: The World Cup of Drawing a Soccer Ball. New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Creative Capital

THE WORLD CUP OF DRAWING A SOCCER BALL CHAMPIONSHIP BY FOUNDATION FOR NEW AMERICAN ART

 How a children's arts education nonprofit, the Foundation for New American Art, is bringing the world a little closer together by combining two international languages Soccer & Art into one fun and intriguing art drawing lesson for kids!

Phoebe Legere's Foundation for New American Art has created a compelling and fun way to teach children how to draw...

The Arts Education Nonprofit 501c3 is bringing the world a little closer together using the two most international languages: 

Soccer & Art.

The Foundation for New American Art (FNAA) is hosting an event on

June 28th inviting children to draw/design their dream soccer ball!

The World Cup Of Drawing A Soccer Ball

FNAA launches a citywide arts initiative celebrating the geometry, beauty, and global spirit of soccer through drawing and painting.

The Event Is:

—FREE

—OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

—EDUCATIONAL

—CITYWIDE

—ALL AGES WELCOME

Four events will be held through New York City to select Regional Winners. The World Cup Of Drawing A Soccer Ball Championship Finals will be held on June 28 at the Waterfront Museum in Red Hook, Brooklyn at 11 AM.

Prizes are awarded at all stages of the competition: Grand Prize winner

Takes Home Honors & An Official FIFA Soccer Ball.

 

A link to the complete press release can be found on the website:

https://foundationfornewamericanart.org/press-release-world-cup-drawing.html 

————————————————————————

FOUNDATION FOR NEW AMERICAN ART

55 Bethune Street, Westbeth Art Center, New York, NY

www.foundationfornewamericanart.org

FOR IMMEDiATE RELEASE: 

MEDIA CONTACT

Phoebe Legere

212 777 7052

phoebe@foundationfornewamericanart.org

World Cup of Drawing a Soccer Ball

The Foundation for New American Art Launches a Citywide Arts Initiative Celebrating the Geometry, Beauty, and Global Spirit of Soccer

New York, NY — The Foundation for New American Art is proud to present The World Cup of Drawing a Soccer Ball — a free, citywide arts initiative celebrating the geometry, beauty, movement, and global spirit of soccer through drawing and painting.

As FIFA brings the excitement of world soccer to New York, young artists across the city are invited to participate in public art events exploring the essential symbol of the game: the soccer ball itself.

What does soccer have to do with art? Everything.

“To draw a soccer ball accurately, students must understand the geometry of a sphere, perspective, highlights, shadow, curvature, motion, and spatial relationships. Through art, children discover the principles behind aerodynamics, physics, engineering, and the extraordinary mechanics of the human body in motion,” says Foundation for New American Art Founder & Executive Director, Multidisciplinary Artist Phoebe Legere.

At Foundation for New American Art workshops, children learn “rocket science the fun way” — through observation, creativity, and the joy of painting. The program is free and open to all, with a particular commitment to youth from immigrant communities and neighborhoods with limited access to arts education.

Participants compete in regional events held across Manhattan, Queens, Poughkeepsie, and Brooklyn — see sidebar left for dates and times of regional competitions — culminating in a championship final at the Waterfront Museum in Red Hook, Brooklyn, June 28, where finalists will compete for the title of World Cup of Drawing a Soccer Ball Champion.

GRAND PRIZE

• Official FIFA Soccer Ball
• Championship Trophy
• Champions Exhibition at the New American Art Gallery
  
  
  

EVENT SCHEDULE

May 30  Queens Regional

The T Building, Jamaica, Queens  ·  1:00 PM

June 3  Manhattan Regional

Foundation for New American Art Gallery  ·  55 Bethune Street, Westbeth Art Center  ·  3:30 PM

Mid-Hudson Regional

Winner already selected  ·  Poughkeepsie

June 28  Championship Finals

Waterfront Museum  ·  Red Hook, Brooklyn  ·  11:00 AM

ABOUT FOUNDATION FOR NEW AMERICAN ART

The Foundation for New American Art is a nonprofit organization providing free arts and music education to children with limited access to the arts, while supporting New York City artists through exhibitions, performances, and public cultural programming.

Painters, animators, architects, athletes — all begin the same way: learning to read the field, see the opening, and move.

www.foundationfornewamericanart.org

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The artists of tomorrow begin here.